Civilian Security Contractor Awarded Medal for Bravery

This is a great story for the private security industry as a whole, especially with all of the negative stories going around about certain companies and operators working in Iraq. One wonders why there have not been more medals awarded as I am sure security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan have helped to save lives on a daily basis. Would any HE operators care to shed some light or share examples of heroic acts that they have experienced first hand?

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Miles Standish was a contractor. The U.S. Navy was in its humble beginnings a force of 55,000 contractors, called, “Privateers”. The Flying Tigers… Contractors, also, “Privateers”.

More civilian contractors were wounded and KIA at the Saigon Embassy than soldiers. You see video of civilians running around with weapons and everyone just assumes they are Intel geeks, spooks, DSS, or some other government employee but no… They were mostly contractors. Brown & Root was a construction firm in Vietnam before they were Kellogg, Brown & Root under Halliburton. Believe me, they’re not remotely new.

I could go on but it would bore you to tears…

My job was to protect American Dignitaries in Baghdad. If private Joe Snuffy steps in front of a would be assassin’s bullet to protect Speaker of the House Pelosi’s rear-end and gets greased in the process, it will make the headlines for the next two weeks of every American newspaper in the country. It would describe how the poor ignorant and hapless 20 year old Private Joe Snuffy never really thought he would actually go to Iraq when he joined the Army last year and how so many people are outraged at why it is necessary for someone like Pelosi to be in Baghdad placing soldiers at risk to begin with. It would go on about what a hero Joe Snuffy was and what a waste his life was.

On the other hand… Put the maligned and hated Blackwater in front of Madam Speaker of the House… The press has worked diligently to make us hated… Hence, when we get smoked taking care of politicians politicking in precarious places, no one really cares if one more Blackwater, “MERCENARY” gets smoked (Except of course his family and friends). We’re not going to get medals. We’re not going to get accolades. We’re not going to get politicians saying we’re valuable or anyone saying we’re actually very, very careful with our weapons and really fired our weapons in only 2% of our 100% successful missions (Congressional report 2007). We’re not even going to get a thank you from anyone, ever.

Five of my friends were killed protecting yet one more politician in downtown Baghdad on January 23, 2007. Some of the bravest, most skilled and dedicated warriors I have ever had the privilege to have known in my 40 years. In similar fashion to all of my fallen PSS (Protective Security Specialist), brothers, their posthumous epitaph read in the newspaper as, “Five Blackwater Mercenaries killed in central Baghdad…” The story went on to say how it was likely because they were shooting civilians at some point, somewhere, somehow… Of course… It’s just too easy. The press figured out in 2004, Blackwater was one of four companies forbidden from publicly defending themselves against the press without direct instruction from their client, The Department of State. Ahhh… Did I say easy? Did someone say, “Punching bag”?

Okay, so among many reasons, civilian contractors being awarded medals and making us look like, “good guys” really defeats the purpose of perpetuating the desired malign of our character. Why? Well, if we look like, “Good guys” Americans may be sad when we are killed… The White House doesn’t want Americans to be sad and say anything foolish like, “Bring the contractors home too!!!” Because that would change diplomatic missions all over the world now wouldn’t it..?

Does it sting a little that I did four tours in Iraq, put my life down for a countless many, I’m now permanently disabled, I left my children without a father for years, my wife without a husband for years, brought a different man back to them all, my life is changed forever and Uncle Sugar never said so much as, “Thank you”? No, that doesn’t sting so much. What does sting are the many civilians I protected with my life and limb, whom I sacrificed my future for being awarded medals instead (See the “Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal”), that one stings more than a bit.

I could recount how so many of the, "Rescues" in Baghdad credited to SF or some other secret squirrel group had nothing to do with SOCOM and a lot more to do with right place and right timing… But let's not SOUND pretentious…

I won't say or even infer we do or did anything more heroic than anyone in uniform but let no one say a soldier really gave a shit who signed my paycheck anytime I patched a hole in him or carried him on my back or a buddy shuttled him off to the CASH because our little birds are just faster…

Countless times since 2003. Will anyone remember? Fuck no!

Let it never be said a Marine really gave a shit who signed our checks when USMC pilots were not allowed to drop badly needed Ammo into the Najaf REO.

Let it never be said I took anything other than the same oath as any American Serviceman when I picked up a weapon to go to a foreign land with the best interest of my brothers and sisters at heart.

Yes, it's all cute and funny to say, "I'm in it for the money" but really… There's more money in teaching and we knew it then as much as now.

Just remember, in the world of quiet professionals, is it the guy who wants you to know about him, his firefights, paychecks and cool-guy-gear that really says to you he's the standard or the weakest link?

So in that.. You are not going to hear stories from me. Maybe more because I (maybe we), don't care to fight through the obtuse screeching of those who insist on carrying a, "Bullshit Flag" reserved exclusively for security contractors.